Metsä Group's Joutseno Pulp Mill Gasification Plant Inaugurated

Metsä Group, Finland, reports that the new gasification plant at its Joutseno pulp mill in Finland started up this past week. The Joutseno pulp mill is the world's largest single-line softwood pulp mill.

The company notes that the new gasification plant improves the efficiency of renewable energy usage by replacing natural gas used with biofuel made from tree bark. The gasification plant makes the pulp mill the first carbon dioxide-neutral facility in Finland during normal operations.

Technology used in the gasification plant is a new application for the Finnish pulp industry. The innovative and comprehensive solution uses surplus heat from the mill in drying tree bark. The plant considerably improves the mill's energy-efficiency and further improves the mill's environmental performance.

Similar development work is under way at Metsä Fibre's other mills as well, and all Metsä Fibre's mills will become carbon dioxide-neutral in the coming years.

Metsä Fibre is a significant supplier of bioenergy in Finland. Its mills account for approximately one fifth of all wood-derived electricity generated in Finland.

TAPPI
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